Parts washer



Jan. 14, 1964 N. K. HEARN ETAL 3,117,583

PARTS WASHER Filed Nov.2o, 1961 INVENTORS. Norva/ A. karn faward 7. Lea/7y A TTORN E Y5.

WASHER Nerral it. ilearn, L21 Center St, Emporia, Kaus, and Edward T. Leahy, 7708 Maple St, Prairie Village,

Filed Nov. 29, 195i, Ser. No. 153,516 4 (Cl. 134-407) This invention relates to a machine for washing articles by means of a cleaning solution, and more particularly, to a machine for cleaning automotive parts by placing the same within the path of flow of a heated cleaning fluid.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a machine for cleaning articles disposed Within an open top container above the bottom thereof and positioned within the path of flow of a heated cleaning fluid so that the action of the fluid flow on the articles is suffioient to dislodge particles of dirt and grime therefrom carry the particles away from said articles for subseon .t gravitation to the bottom of the container, thus cleaning said articles.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a structure within the container of the aforesaid machine for supporting articles in the nature of automotive parts to be cleaned, the parts being in spaced relationship above the bottom of the container and wherein is included means below said structure for creating an upwardly directed flow of said cleaning fluid below, around and over said articles, whereby the dislodged particles of dirt and gr'nne carried away from the articles by said fluid flow, are caused to gravitate to said bottom completley out of contact with said articles and substantially free from agitation by said upwardly directed flow of clean'og fluid, thus assuring proper cleaning of the articles while maintaining the fluid flow free of dislodged particles of dirt and grime.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of means within the above-mentioned machine providing a conduit within said container and having an upwardly facing fluid outlet below said support structure and above said bottom, and wherein pump rneans is -perably coupled with said conduit at the inlet end thereof and disposed adjacent the top of the container, whereby fluid is caused to circulate through said container and said pump means to thereby create the aforesaid upwardly directed how of fluid.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of means for covering said container comprising a lid having a strap projecting outwardly therefrom and operably coupled to a handle element rotatably mounted on a shaft on said container, whereby as said handle element is ending in opposed directions about the axis of said shaft, the strap is forced downwardly and upwardly to thereby force said lid upwardly and downwardly respectively to thereby open and close said container.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan View of the machine for washing automotive parts which forms the subject of this invention, parts being broken away to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the parts washing machine taken along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentar end elevational view of the container and the lid interconnected therewith, parts being shown in section to illustrate details of construction; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view of the interconnection between the shaft operably co p-led to the handle element and the container for receiving the parts to be cleaned, portions of said structure being in cross section to illustrate details of construction.

ice

Yrs

reiterated Jan. Mi,

The present invention provides a machine for washing articles in the nature of automotive parts, and includes a container for receiving therein a cleaning fluid capable of being heated to an elevated temperature. Means are provided within the container for supporting the parts to be cleaned in vertically spaced relationship to the bottom of the container. Such support structure is in the nature of a grid horizontally disposed within the container to permit the fluid to pass therethrough and around the articles supported thereby. Heating means are disposed within the contaor above said bottom and below the grid for heating the cleaning fluid received within the container.

Means are provided for creating an upwardly directed flow of said fluid within the container, said means including a conduit between the grid and the bottom of the container and having an upwardly facing fluid outlet for directing fluid flowing therethrough upwardly through the grid and around the articles supported by the latter. Pump means is carried by the container adjacent the open top thereof, and a tube exteriorly of the container and interconnecting the pump means and the conduit, provides a circuit through which the fluid passes from the pump means to the conduit when the pump means is actuated. Particles of dirt and grime dislodged from the parts supported by the grid, are caused to gravitate out of the upwardly directed llow of fluid and toward said bottom through said grid. The container is further provided with an outlet adjacent the bottom thereof for removing the particles of dirt and grime dislodged from the parts, thus permitting the cleaning of the container without removing the cleaning fluid therefrom.

The machine which forms the subject of the present invention is broadly denoted by the numeral ill, and includes a container 12 having a pair of opposed side walls l4 and 16, a pair of opposed end walls 18, and a bottom Wall 26 spanning the distance between side walls 14 and lid between end walls 13. A plurality of legs 22 are secured to bottom 2%? and depend therefrom for supporting container 12 above a surface, such as the floor of a building, with the bottom in vertically spaced relationship to said surface. Bottom 26 is transversely ti-shaped and container 12 is provided with an outlet 24 in one end wall 13 thereof for removing particles of dirt and grime gravitating to bottom 29 in a manner to be set forth. Bottom 29 may be preferably made so as to slope toward the end wall containing outlet 24- so as to facilitate the removal of said particles of dirt and grime from the interior of container 12.

A foraminous member in the nature of a grid 26 is disposed within container 12 in vertically spaced relationship to bottom Zil, and is secure to side walls 14 and 16 by angle irons 23, as shown in FIG. 2. Grid 26 is substantially horizontally disposed for supporting articles in the nature of automotive parts to be cleaned by machine lb.

Heating means 39 in the nature of a U-shaped tube, is positioned within container 12 above bottom 29 thereof and below grid 26. Tube 3%) is provided with a pair of opposed ends 32 extending through end wall 118 opposite to that containing outlet 24, and ends 32 are adapted to be operably coupled to a source of heat such as a gas burner or the like for directing heated gases through tube 38 and thereby, into the interior of container 12. Tube 39 is in thermal interchange relationship to fluids contained within container 12, and thereby heat is imparted to said fluids when heated gases flow through tube 30.

Side wall 16 of container 12 is provided with a pair of vertically spaced openings 34 and 35 adjacent each of said side Walls 18, each of said openings 34 being positioned above bottom 2% and below grid 26 and each of said openings 36 being positioned proximal to the open 3 top of container 12. An elongated conduit 38 extends through each opening 34 in side wall 16 and projects outardl therefrom in opposed directions.

Conduits 38, only one of which is shown in the drawing, are provided with openings til at the ends thereof disposed within container 12, openings 48 facing in an upward direction below grid 26 so as to direct fluid carried thereby upwardly and through said grid 26. Conduit Ed is provided with an opening 52 at the opposite end thereof providing a fluid inlet therefor. An elongated tube 44 is secured to the outermost end of conduit 38 in fluid communication with the opening lZ therein. Tube 44 extends upwardly from conduit 38 exteriorly of container 12'. and the uppermost end of tube 4-4 is operably coupled to a housing as in surrounding relationship to an opening 48 in the latter. Housing 46 is secured to side wall 36 in surrounding relationship to opening 36 therein so that housing 46 and tube 44 are in substantial fluid communication with container 12, and conduit 38.

Pump means broadly denoted by the numeral is carried by container 12 at side wall 16 thereof adjacent the open top of container 112. Pump means 5i: is operably coupled with the housings 4-5 corresponding to each conduit 3? for directing fluid contained within container 12 through tube 44 and the corresponding conduit 33. To this end, pump means 5t? includes an impeller 52. disposed within each housing do in a position to direct fluid downwardly through tube 4-4 and into conduit 3 8.

A shaft 54 is rigid to impeller 52 at the axis of revolution of the latter and extends upwardly therefrom through an opening 56 in the top wall of housing 46. Shaft 54 is surrounded by a bushing 53 disposed within a sleeve 69 having a flanged base 62 supported on and secured to the top wall of housing 46. A pulley 64 is rigid to the uppermost end of shaft 54 and is operably coupled to an endless belt 66 interconnecting pulley 64 with a pulley 68 on the drive shaft 70 of an electric motor '72, the latter being secured to and supported by side "wall 16 by support means 74 illustrated in FIG. 1. Upon actuation of motor 72, pulleys 64 and, thereby shafts 54, are caused to rotate to thereby rotate the respective impellers 52 to cause the flow of fluid in container 12 into housings E6, downwardly through tubes 44 and into conduits 38 toward openings 4% thereof.

Means is provided for covering the open top of container l2 and includes a lid '76 having flanges 73 extending therearound and depending therefrom. Lid 75 is provided with a pair of straps adjacent opposed ends of lid 76 and spanning the distance between the sides thereof, it being clear that lid '76 is supported on an outwardly directed flange 82 extending around the open top of corn tainer 1 .2,.

Each strap 8% is provided with a portion 84 thereof extending outwardly from the proximal side margin of lid 76. The outermost end of each portion 84- is received within a slot as at one end of a projection $3 secured at the opposite end to an elon ated handle element 9h. Handle element 9t} is rotatably mounted proximal to the end secured to projection 33 on an elongated shaft 92, and handle element E i) extends along the side of the container 12. to a point adjacent side wall 7.4 of container 22. An extension is secured to the end of element 9% adjacent side wall and projects laterally therefrom to provide means for grasping element. and for rotating the same about shaft 9 2.

Shaft 92 is secured to side wall 16 by means of a pair of horizontally spaced brackets 96. Brackets 96 are each provided with a first stretch 93 rigidly secured to side wall 15, a second stretch 1% parallel with stretch 925 and spaced above the la ter, and a third stretch 1&2 interconnecting proximal margins of stretches 9 8 and 1%. Shaft 92. is supported on stretch 1G2 and is confined by stretch 1%. Shaft 32. is in substantial contact with the proximal flange and the upper most portion l of side wall 16 so that shaft Q2 is substantially secured to container 12'.

A coil 164 in the nature of a tube, is positioned within container 12 above tube 39 and below conduit 38. Coil tea is provided with a pair of opposed ends 1% adjacent the outlet 24, ends 1% adapted to be operably coupled to hose sections so that the heat of the fluid Within container 12 may be imparted to the fluid, specifically Water, flowing through coil 104 by virtue of being connected to the aforesaid hose sections, it being clear that coil 194 is in thermal interchange relationship With the fluid within container 12.

in operation, container 12 is filled to a level adjacent the top walls of housing 46 With a cleaning fluid in the nature of a detergent or the like capable of being heated to an elevated temperature. The fluid is then heated by directing a flow of heated gases through tube 30 by interconnecting a gas burner means or the like to the ends 32 of tube 3% The articles or par-ts to be cleaned by machine "iii are then disposed on grid 26 in any suitable manner, preferably through the use of a wire basket or the like. Motor '72 is then energized to rotate impellers 52 about respective axes of revolution so as to create a flow of fluid within container 12.

The flow of fluid is caused to circulate through housings 46, through tubes 44, through conduits 38, and then through container 12 along paths interconnecting openings 49 with openings 36. In addition to the fluid flow created by pump means 50, a certain amount of fluid flow upwardly is caused by the heating action of tube 30 owing tothe convection currents set up by the heating action of the latter. When parts are disposed upon grid 26, the upwardly directed flow of the cleaning fluid is caused to pass below, around and above the parts to dislodge dirt and grime therefrom. The dislodged particles are carried a certain distance upwardly with the flow away from the articles, and the particles subsequently gravitate out of the flow and down through grid 26 for passage to bottom it It is clear that the particles dislodged from the parts do not remain in the fluid flow as the same passes in the circuit defined by housings 46, tubes 44, conduits 3S and the portion of container 12 interconnecting openings 36 and 40. Thus, the fluid issuing from openings 4% is substantially free of the previously dislodged particles of dirt and grime and the parts disposed on grid 26 are substantially clean by fluid free of the aforesaid dislodged particles. Since the articles disposed on grid 26 are in vertically spaced relationship to bottom 26, the articles are completely out of contact with the sediment collected on bottom 24) and thus, the sediment is not capable of contacting the articles once the latter have been cleaned. In addition, openings 40 in conduits 38 are positioned well above bottom 29 so that the sediment on the latter is free from agitation by the flow of fluid when the fluid issues from openings 40;

It is to be noted that container 12 may be cleaned by removing the sediment from bottom 2%? through outlet 24- Without having to remove the fluid in container 12.

To open container 12, the operator of machine it) grasps extensions 94 on elements 9% and raises the same by swing ing elements 9! about shaft 92. Projections 88 thereby force the portions 84 of straps 8th downwardly to thereby raise the opposite side margin of lid 76 in a vertical arc. Access to the interior of container 12 is thereby obtained to remove articles from container 12. Thereupon, extension 94 is lowered by swin ing elements 9d in the opposite direction about shaft 92. Portions 84 are then permitted to move upwardly so that the opposite side margin of lid 76 moves downwardly into closing relationship to the open top of container 12.

Articles or automotive parts may be hand-washed by connecting hose sections to the ends 1% of coil 134. Water is then directed through the hose sections and through coil til 4 where the water is heated by virtue of the thermal interchange relationship between the fluid in container 12 and the coil 194.

It is clear that impellers 52 are now driven off the same drive shaft of motor 72 by virtue of vertically spaced pulleys 68 on shaft 759 of motor '72. Thus, a single power source is sufficient to create the flows of fluid through the respective conduits 33.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning articles comprising an open top container adapted for receiving a cleaning fluid and having a pair of opposed side walls, a pair of opposed end walls interconnecting said side Walls and a V-shaped bottom secured to the lowermost margins of said walls, one of said side Walls having a pair of vertically spaced openings therein; a grid; means for mounting said grid within said container intermediate said openings and in spanning relationship to said side and end walls; an elongated conduit extending through the lowermost of said openin s and projecting in opposite directions from said one side wall, the innermost end of said conduit having an upwardly facing opening therein providing a fluid outlet therefor spaced below said foraminous member; a housing secured to said one side wall and extending outwardly therefrom in fluid communication with the uppermost opening in said one side wall; a tube secured to said housing and said conduit at the outermost end of the latter, said tube being disposed for placing said housing in fluid communication with said conduit; and pump means operably coupled with said housing for creating a flow of said fluid and for directing the same through the latter, said tube, said conduit and outwardly from the latter through said outlet thereof when said fluid is received within said container, whereby the fluid is passed below, around and above said articles to clean the latter when said articles are disposed on said grid.

2. Apparatus for cleaning articles as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included means within said container between said conduit and said bottom for heating the fluid received within said container.

3. Apparatus for cleaning articles as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included a lid for said container for covering the open top of the latter, said lid having a strap secured thereto and extending outwardly from said one side wall when said lid covers said container, and means operably coupled with said container and said strap for swingably mounting said lid on said container.

4. Apparatus for cleaning articles as set forth in claim 3, wherein said lid mounting means includes an elongated shaft, means for mounting said shaft on said one side Wall proximal to the uppermost margin thereof, and an elongated element swingably mounted on said shaft and provided with a projection thereon at right angles thereto, said projection having a slot therein and disposed in outwardly spaced relationship to said one side Wall,

said strap being disposed within said slot, whereby said strap and thereby said lid is moved toward and away from said open top when said element is swung in opposed directions about said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,181,314 Inman May 2, 1916 1,943,175 Gough Jan. 9, 1934 2,548,740 Rugh Apr. 10, 1951 2,702,464 Bohm Feb. 22, 1955 

1. APPARATUS FOR CLEANING ARTICLES COMPRISING AN OPEN TOP CONTAINER ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING A CLEANING FLUID AND HAVING A PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDE WALLS, A PAIR OF OPPOSED END WALLS INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE WALLS AND A V-SHAPED BOTTOM SECURED TO THE LOWERMOST MARGINS OF SAID WALLS, ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED OPENINGS THEREIN; A GRID; MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID GRID WITHIN SAID CONTAINER INTERMEDIATE SAID OPENINGS AND IN SPANNING RELATIONSHIP TO SAID SIDE AND END WALLS; AN ELONGATED CONDUIT EXTENDING THROUGH THE LOWERMOST OF SAID OPENINGS AND PROJECTING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM SAID ONE SIDE WALL, THE INNERMOST END OF SAID CONDUIT HAVING AN UPWARDLY FACING OPENING THEREIN PROVIDING A FLUID OUTLET THEREFOR SPACED BELOW SAID FORAMINOUS MEMBER; A HOUSING SECURED TO SAID ONE SIDE WALL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH THE 